Inverurie Locos will play Fraserburgh in the quarter-final of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup after defeating Dyce Juniors 2-1 at Ian Mair Park.
The Highland League side took the lead in the 20th minute through Sam Burnett’s strike, before Sam Robertson equalised for Dyce with a penalty early on in the second half.
Despite Dyce’s improved showing in the second-half, Locos set-up a clash against the Broch, who defeated Banks o’ Dee in the first round, as Robert Ward scored an 80th minute penalty winner.
Inverurie missed a perfect opportunity to take an early lead when Lloyd Robertson opted to get his own shot away from tight angle in the box, rather than play it to an unmarked Garry Wood.
Dyce were playing long balls forward in an attempt to get into the final third, and it almost paid off when Kyle Douglas found Guilherme Barbosa down the right flank, but his effort was cleared off the line by Locos’ Logan Johnstone.
The Highland League side took the lead in the 20th minute as Burnett got the ball just outside of the box, before taking a touch to get the ball on his preferred foot and striking it cleanly to beat Morgan Cook in the Dyce goal.
Inverurie thought they had doubled their lead when Fergus Alberts tapped the ball into the back of the net from close-range, but the linesman flagged for offside which kept the score at 1-0 at half-time.
The home side won a penalty ten minutes into the second-half when Mark Souter took down a Dyce player in the box. Robertson converted the spotkick, burying it in the bottom right corner.
Dyce were piling the pressure on Locos and the junior side almost went ahead when Dean McDonald unleashed a well-hit effort from just outside the box which forced Reid to make a fingertip save to guide the ball over the bar.
Locos went 2-1 up when Ward scored a powerful penalty 10 minutes before full-time, after Matthew Petermann was halted by a Dyce defender pulling his shirt as he burst into the 18-yard box.
Deveronvale hold their nerve
Meanwhile, Deveronvale booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup by beating Hermes at Lochside Park on penalties.
The juniors broke the deadlock through Jack Craig in the 70th minute but Vale substitute Antonio Jam came off the bench to net with six minutes remaining and send the game to spot-kicks.
End of 90mins: 1-1 pic.twitter.com/F3o7duu95Z
— Deveronvale Football Club (@DeveronvaleFC) July 27, 2022
The Breedon Highland League side held their nerve to progress 5-4 on penalties.
Deveronvale will face Formartine away in the quarter-finals of the competition on Wednesday, August 17.
Deveronvale, beaten 3-0 by Fraserburgh on the opening weekend of the Breedon Highland League, host Lossiemouth this weekend. Hermes head to Sunnybank for their opening match in the Grill League Cup.
